Postal Service sets up shop at Office Depot stores

Despite widespread opposition to closing post offices, the U.S. Postal Service is moving ahead with plans to expand its retail footprint into thousands of Office Depot stores.

The nation's second-largest retailer of office supplies has started selling postal products and services at almost 1,100 locations, offering Priority Mail and Express Mail services, Priority Mail flat-rate boxes, and postage stamps. The deal, in the works for more than a year, is the mail agency's first attempt to sell more than postage stamps under someone else's roof.

Susan Plonkey, a USPS senior vice president, said the deal will allow customers to compare prices between USPS and United Parcel Service products and services, which are also sold at Office Depot. "We're excited to extend some of the best shipping values in the country to Office Depot customers at a time and place that's convenient to them," she said.